The present invention generally relates to a collar, a system and a method for detecting a mark on a rod. More specifically, the present invention relates to a collar, a system and a method for detecting a mark on a rod with a light emitter and/or a light detector. The light emitter and/or the light detector may be located inside of and/or may be housed within a compartment which is attachable to the collar. A seal may connect and/or may attach the compartment to the collar for emitting and/or for transmitting light into the collar and/or into the compartment. An amount of the emitted light from the light emitter may be absorbed by an exterior surface of the rod. The mark on the rod may display a color which may be detectable by the light detector with the mark adjacent to the light detector. The color of the mark may prevent the emitted light from being absorbed by the mark which may be adjacent to the light emitter, the light detector and/or the compartment. The light detector may detect, may identify and/or may determine a position of the mark and/or of the rod within the collar via an intensity of the emitted light which may be detectable via the light detector.
It is, of course, generally known to detect and/or to determine a position of a rod in an interior of a cylinder with a switch which is attached to the cylinder. Traditionally, the switch is a magnetic switch, such as, for example, a reed switch or a Hall Effect switch for detecting and/or for determining the position of the rod in the cylinder. The switch may be located or may be positioned at a location on the cylinder for detecting and/or for determining the position of the rod within the interior of the cylinder. The location of the switch may be an exterior surface of the cylinder. Walls of the cylinder may separate and/or may be located between the switch and the rod and/or the interior of the cylinder.
The rod or a portion of the rod activates or deactivates the switch as the rod or the portion of the rod is adjacent to the switch by altering a magnetic characteristic of the switch. The rod or the portion of the rod activates or deactivates the switch as the rod or the portion of the rod moves to a location adjacent to the switch within the interior of the cylinder by altering the magnetic characteristic of the switch. Activating or deactivating the switch may indicate and/or may identify the position of the rod within the interior of the cylinder. As a result, the switch detects and/or determines the position of the rod within the interior of the cylinder as the rod or the portion of the rod moves to a location adjacent to the switch within the interior of the cylinder.
However, the traditional switch may be small and may be delicate which may prevent the switch from being used with large voltages and/or with large currents. Additionally, large currents may overheat the switch which may damage and/or may destroy the switch. As a result, the switch may be inoperable and may be incapable of detecting and/or determining the position of the rod within the interior of the cylinder. Switching large currents may require and/or may necessitate a relay circuit to be connected to the switch for detecting and/or for determining the position of the rod within the interior of the cylinder. The relay circuit may be costly and/or may be inconvenient to attach to the switch and/or to the cylinder. Further, the rod or the portion of the rod may be made from a material which may not alter the magnetic characteristic of the switch. Still further, the rod or the portion of the rod may be made from a material which does not activate or deactivate the switch. As a result, the material of the rod or of the portion of the rod may prevent the switch from detecting and/or from determining the position of the rod within the interior of the cylinder.
A need, therefore, exists for a collar, a system and/or a method for detecting a mark on a rod which may be located and/or may be positioned within an interior of the collar. Additionally, a need exists for a collar, a system and/or a method for detecting a mark on a rod which may provide a light detector and/or a light emitter for determining a position of the rod within an interior of the collar. Further, a need exists for a collar, a system and/or a method for detecting a mark on a rod which may display a color on the mark for preventing light from being absorbed by the mark of the rod within an interior of the collar. Still further, a need exists for a collar, a system and/or a method for detecting a mark on a rod which may provide a seal for connecting and/or for attaching a compartment, a light emitter and/or a light detector to an interior of the collar. Moreover, a need exists for a collar, a system and/or a method for detecting a mark on a rod which may absorb an amount of light within an interior of the collar which may correspond to a position of the rod within the interior of the collar. Furthermore, a need exists for a collar, a system and/or a method for detecting a mark on a rod which may detect and/or may determine a position of the rod within an interior of the collar based on an intensity of the light which may not be absorbed by the mark and/or by an exterior surface of the rod.